Royal British Legion’s seasonal support and five-figure success for Poppy Appeal

Members of the Sleaford and District Branch of the Royal British Legion are pictured before handing out Christmas hampers to local ex-service personnel or their families.

This annual event is the culmination of a year’s worth of support which has seen members and volunteers carry out, between them, more than 700 hospital, home, and care home visits.

These take place once a month by a dedicated team led by Colin Hide and Denis Allen, both long-standing members of the branch.

This year’s Poppy Appeal which started with the Poppy Prom held at St George’s Academy and continued with a two-week collection period involving volunteers, shops, businesses, and officer cadets from RAF College Cranwell has so far raised more than £23,000.

A spokesman for the branch said: “The branch’s committee would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Sleaford and District for their wonderful support and generosity. The work of all the volunteers is really appreciated and down to every last one they all agree that the warmth and generosity of our supporters year on year is something that makes them come back again next year.”